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NFL Picks

Baltimore Ravens projected season win totals have hit the books. Find out what benchmark is being set by the odds makers and how they stack up in NFL futures betting markets.

Top Ten Betting Faves, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens enter the NFL odds market as one of the top ten favorites to win outright. They are priced at +2200 to win Super Bowl 50 and at +900 to win the AFC Conference. The 2012 Super Bowl champions are notorious for elevating their play in the postseason, largely down to excellent coaching from John Harbaugh and the clutch play of Joe Flacco. Not for nothing, they are one of the teams to spot on the NFL odds board for the coming season.

2014-2015 In Review
Last year, the Ravens defeated their divisional rivals Pittsburgh Steelers 30-17 in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Then they gave the Patriots a serious run for their money. They took it to the Patriots and, even, enjoyed the lead for the better part of the game before the Patriots rallied behind some heroic play from Tom Brady and gutsy calling by Bill Belichick and eked out the 35-31 victory. Tale told, it was a respectable account in the playoffs even if it ended rather abruptly.

This season, the Ravens will have a new look on offense. Ex-Bears head coach Marc Trestman is taking over the offensive coordinator role after Kubiak took the head coach opening in Denver. There's a lot to like about the Ravens and plenty of their core pieces including Justin Forsett are expected back next season.

It's a tough AFC North division. Arguably, one of the toughest in the NFL as evinced by the three-strong representation in the NFL playoffs: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore advanced (in that order) from the AFC Division. Appropriately, the NFL odds to win the AFC North are tightly packed with the Ravens matched as the +163 faves and the Steelers (+200) and Bengals (+240) nipping at their heels (Table 2).

The Ravens finished the regular season with a 10-6-0 SU mark, which included a 6-2 SU mark at home and a modest 4-4 SU mark on the road. In the AFC North, they went 3-3 SU against the field. In the Conference, they went 6-6 SU against the field.

Conference Division Odds:

NFL Conference Division Odds: AFC East

New England Patriots

Off the Board

Miami Dolphins

Off the Board

Buffalo Bills

Off the Board

New York Jets

Off the Board

NFL Conference Division Odds: AFC North

Baltimore Orioles

+163

Cincinnati Bengals

+240

Pittsburgh Steelers

+200

Cleveland Browns

+900

NFL Conference Division Odds: AFC South

Indianapolis Colts

-350

Houston Texans

+350

Tennessee Titans

+1400

Jacksonville Jaguars

+2200

NFL Conference Division Odds: AFC West

Denver Broncos

-200

Kansas City Chiefs

+425

San Diego Chargers

+350

Oakland Raiders

+3000

Baltimore Ravens Projected Season Win Totals
Sportsbooks have released the projected season win totals for each and every team in the NFL. As it is, 9 wins on the season is the projected benchmark for the Ravens (Table 3), just a smidgen ahead of the Steelers and Bengals (both projected on an 8.5 season win total line).

Last season, the Ravens were projected on an 8.5 season win total; in part down to the modest 8-8-0 regular season finish in their title defence campaign in 2013. The Over was favored over the Under, however; what's more, we predicted the Ravens would finish Over the 8.5 point mark on our NFL picks and, even, suggested they would go 10-6-0 SU. We we're spot on with our NFL picks!

American Football Conference Projected Season Win Totals
(Odds Courtesy of WestGate LV Sportsbook)

AFC East Odds: Projected Season Win Totals

New England Patriots

10.5

Miami Dolphins

9

Buffalo Bills

8.5

New York Jets

7

AFC North Odds: Projected Season Win Totals

Baltimore Ravens

9

Cincinnati Bengals

8.5

Pittsburgh Steelers

8.5

Cleveland Browns

6.5

AFC South Odds: Projected Season Win Totals

Indianapolis Colts

10.5

Houston Texans

8.5

Tennessee Titans

5.5

Jacksonville Jaguars

5.5

AFC West Odds: Projected Season Win Totals

Denver Broncos

10

Kansas City Chiefs

8.5

San Diego Chargers

8

Oakland Raiders

5.5

Ravens and the AFC North Division
The Ravens have consistently hit .500 winning percentage or over since 2007, the last time they finished at the bottom of the AFC North pile. In the last five years, they clinched the division twice (2011 and 2012). They narrowly missed a third division title in 2010 after tying the Steelers 12-4-0 SU.

It's interesting to note that the Ravens' win column has declined over the last two years; that's a combination of several things, one of which is the improved competition in the division. Last season, serves as the best example with all four teams finishing above .500 (Table 4). Certainly, if that competitive trend extends into the coming season it's going to be another tight race down the stretch; not least it's going to be impossible to predict where the Ravens will fall, when all is said and done.

AFC Season Win-Loss-Tie Record Last 5 Years

AFC EAST

2014-15

2013-14

2012-13

2011-12

2011-12

AVERAGE WIN TOTALS

Patriots

12-4-0

12-4-0

12-4-0

13-3-0

14-2-0

12.6

Dolphins

8-8-0

8-8-0

7-9-0

6-10-0

7-9-0

7.2

Bills

9-7-0

6-10-0

6-10-0

6-10-0

4-12-0

6.2

Jets

4-12-0

8-8-0

6-10-0

8-8-0

11-5-0

7.4

AFC NORTH

Ravens

10-6-0

8-8-0

10-6-0

12-4-0

12-4-0

10.4

Bengals

10-5-1

11-5-0

10-6-0

9-7-0

4-12-0

8.8

Steelers

11-5-0

8-8-0

8-8-0

12-4-0

12-4-0

10.2

Browns

7-9-0

4-12-0

5-11-0

4-12-0

5-11-0

5

AFC SOUTH

Colts

11-5-0

11-5-0

11-5-0

2-14-0

10-6-0

9

Texans

9-7-0

2-14-0

12-4-0

10-6-0

6-10-0

7.8

Titans

2-14-0

7-9-0

6-10-0

9-7-0

6-10-0

6

Jaguars

3-13-0

4-12-0

2-14-0

5-11-0

8-8-0

4.4

AFC WEST

Broncos

12-4-0

13-3-0

13-3-0

8-8-0

4-12-0

10

Chiefs

9-7-0

11-5-0

2-14-0

7-9-0

10-6-0

7.8

Chargers

9-7-0

9-7-0

7-9-0

8-8-0

9-7-0

8.4

Raiders

3-13-0

4-12-0

4-12-0

8-8-0

8-8-0

5.4

NFL Betting Verdict
By the above five year overview, the Ravens seasonal win average is 10.4. Had they not dropped the ball in 2013-2014, their seasonal win total average would probably be higher. Nevertheless, the Ravens have been consistent performers in the regular season with a .500 winning percentage or better. That bodes well for the coming season and makes them a solid NFL pick.

The projected 9 wins across sports betting platform is partly down to their lower win totals of the last couple of seasons (10+8=18/2=9). It also recognises the stiff competition they face in their division. Wins don't come easy, neither at home nor on the road.

Another reason for the single-digit projection is the NFL schedule. Ravens have received no favors from schedulers, with the eleventh toughest schedule in the league. Based on last season's records, the combined strength of their opponents is 137-117-2 SU for a 0.539 winning percentage. What's more, they open the season in Denver.

If there's one advantage they have over the Steelers and Bengals though, it's that their schedules are even worse. In fact, the Steelers have the toughest schedule (0.579 winning percentage) while the Bengals have the second toughest (0.563 winning percentage). That could play right into the Ravens' hands and lift them well above the 9 wins projected across NFL betting markets.